Are You Coaching Millennials?

By Tru Pettigrew | Small Business

Are You Coaching Millennials?

Happy opening day of the 2013 NFL season! As football season is now upon us, just like every other football fan, I’ve been evaluating the teams that I think will do well this year. In my assessments, I always factor in the quality and effectiveness of the coach, regardless of how talented the players on the team may be. Coaching matters.

Two of my favorite NFL coaches are former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy and current New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick. These two coaches have very different coaching styles, but both have proven to be successful. They are both Super Bowl winning coaches, which is no easy task. They, like all NFL coaches, also had the responsibility of coaching cross-cultural teams filled with millennial and generation X players, which is also no easy task.

College coaches have the responsibility of coaching millennials as well. The difference with college, however, is the entire team is composed of millennials. The game changes when you get to the professional level. The coach now has to be able to connect with and relate to athletes with a millennial mindset as well as understand how to get his generation X veteran players to do the same. Every Sunday will be a test of the 32 NFL coaches’ abilities to motivate millennials and create Culturational Chemistry among the team.

Just like my man Bill Belichick and the other 31 coaches in the NFL, one of the best things that leadership from Generation X, Baby Boomers and The Silent Generation can offer millennials is effective coaching.

Often times when millennials enter the workplace, they are given the job description, an assignment, and a deadline and sent on their merry way. Too often there are misplaced expectations because the millennial team member is gifted, talented or savvy in a certain area. Gifted and talented players still need coaching in order to maximize their potential.

Coaching someone is very different than managing someone. Managing someone involves things like providing directives, timelines, expectations and deliverables. There seems to be no shortage of that in the workplace.

Coaching someone, however, requires taking the time to help the individual identify his or her strengths and growth areas and working with them to develop a strategy for success. Coaching involves teaching the individual and ensuring that they are able to contribute at the highest level to the team’s success while also achieving individual successes.

Your millennial team members are gifted in many areas and are ready to help win you a championship. But all that talent and desire will only go but so far without effective coaching.